There is one question that determines whether you get hired. Not the application. Not the background check. Not what the charge was or how long you were inside.
The question is this: why you, over the thirty other people I could hire who don't have a criminal record?
If you walk in without a ready answer, you will not get the job. The interviewer can see the pause the moment you don't have something prepared, and once they see it, the room shifts against you. What you need is an answer practiced enough to say with confidence and humility at the same time.
The answer that works is this:
Everybody deserves a second chance. Somebody is going to give me one. And they are going to get the best employee they ever had, because I am never, ever going to do something that sends me back to prison.
Say it clean. Say it without flinching. It makes no excuses, asks for no sympathy, and tells the employer the one thing they actually need to know: you have more reason to perform than anyone else in that stack.
Then live it. The light is on you from the first day. Use it. Work twice as hard as the person next to you. Show up earlier, stay later, and make that scrutiny your shining light, not a shadow. The person standing next to you does not have anyone watching them that closely. You do. That is the advantage if you decide to use it.
What the Law in Pennsylvania Says About Your Record
Pennsylvania does not have a statewide ban the box law removing criminal history questions from initial job applications. Private employers across most of the state can ask on the initial application. However, Pennsylvania's Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA, 18 Pa.C.S.) applies statewide to all employers and provides meaningful protections that go beyond most states that lack ban the box entirely.
Under CHRIA, it is illegal for any Pennsylvania employer to consider: arrests without a conviction, juvenile adjudications, or summary offenses. An employer can only consider a conviction if that conviction affects your suitability for the specific job, taking into account the type of offense and whether it is related to the duties of the position. If you are rejected because of your record, the employer must notify you in writing of the reason for the denial.
Philadelphia has its own Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance (FCRSS), in place since 2011, which is one of the strongest fair chance hiring laws in the country. Under the FCRSS, Philadelphia employers must make a conditional offer of employment before conducting any criminal background check. The employer must establish a direct connection between your conviction and the position before disqualifying you. If denial is considered, the employer must give you a copy of the background check and 10 business days to respond with additional information or corrections. Significant amendments signed October 8, 2025 and effective January 6, 2026 further strengthened the ordinance: misdemeanor lookback reduced from 7 years to 4 years; felony lookback remains 7 years; summary offenses excluded entirely; expunged and sealed records cannot be considered; expanded to cover nearly all private employers.
Allegheny County (the Pittsburgh area) also has fair chance hiring policies for its hiring.
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law is the most significant record-clearing development in state history. Enacted in 2019 and expanded significantly through Clean Slate 3.0 (Act 36 of 2023, HB 689, effective February 12, 2024), Pennsylvania automatically seals eligible criminal records without requiring a petition, attorney, or filing fee. The automated sealing of the existing backlog of eligible records was completed ahead of schedule in early 2025. Once sealed, records do not appear on most background checks and cannot be used against applicants seeking jobs, housing, or education.
Federal FCRA protections apply statewide to all third-party background checks.
Building the Answer Before You Need It
Pennsylvania's CHRIA limits what employers can use against you. Philadelphia's FCRSS gives you the conditional offer stage before your record comes up in that city. Your answer determines what happens in the interview everywhere else.
Pennsylvania DOC provides pre-release reentry planning focused on employment, housing, and community reintegration. PA CareerLink (American Job Centers) are available statewide to connect returning citizens with employment and training resources.
Pittsburgh Community Services Inc. (PCSI) in Pittsburgh provides employment support including resume development, interview preparation, record review, pardon application assistance, employer connections, and their Pardon Hub expungement clinic program. Community Legal Services in Philadelphia provides free Clean Slate eligibility checks and legal assistance for record sealing.
Start with what you did inside. Any DOC vocational training, educational credentials, work assignments, or program completion is content. Then connect it to what this employer specifically needs.
Pennsylvania's economy runs on healthcare (one of the largest healthcare employment bases on the East Coast), finance, technology, manufacturing, natural gas energy, education, and a large government and defense sector. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Harrisburg, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre are the primary labor markets. Whatever you are applying for, make the answer specific to what that employer needs.
Practice it out loud. Until the hesitation is completely gone. CHRIA limits what the employer can hold against you. Your answer earns the offer.
Companies in Pennsylvania That Hire People with Criminal Records
Pennsylvania's economy, anchored by Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with significant healthcare, finance, and manufacturing across the state, creates consistent demand across sectors.
Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, and major food service operators have extensive Pennsylvania operations and national fair chance commitments. UPMC, Penn Medicine, Jefferson Health, and other major healthcare systems hire in support and entry-level roles. JPMorgan Chase, Comcast, and major financial and technology employers in Philadelphia have fair chance hiring programs. US Steel, ALCOA, and manufacturing employers in western Pennsylvania hire in production and operations. Natural gas producers and pipeline operators in western Pennsylvania hire in energy support. Construction contractors statewide face consistent labor shortages.
Pittsburgh Community Services Inc. (PCSI) connects returning citizens with employer networks in the Pittsburgh area. Community Legal Services in Philadelphia provides employer connections in addition to legal services.
PA CareerLink offices statewide provide direct employer connections and WOTC documentation.
Staffing agencies across Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Harrisburg are the most accessible first step, placing workers in healthcare support, manufacturing, and logistics with more flexibility than direct hire.
For the full national list of companies with public fair chance commitments, see the InmateAid Fair Chance Employer Reference List.
The Tax Credit Employers Get for Hiring You
Here is the closing argument for every conversation with an employer on the fence.
There is a federal program called the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, or WOTC. When an employer hires someone from a qualifying group, including individuals recently released from prison, the employer may receive a significant federal tax credit per qualifying hire. That is not charity. It is a business incentive the federal government created specifically to make hiring returning citizens financially advantageous.
You are not asking anyone to take a risk on you. You are telling them your hire comes with a tax benefit attached that none of the other thirty applicants can offer. Say it at the end of the interview, after you have made your case: I qualify for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Hiring me may put money back in your business. And I will give you the best work you have ever gotten from a new hire, because I have too much to lose to give you anything less.
PA CareerLink offices, operated through the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, coordinate WOTC certification and Federal Bonding access for employers statewide.
Where to Get Help in Pennsylvania
PA CareerLink offices statewide, operated through the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, provide job search assistance, career counseling, training referrals, WOTC coordination, and Federal Bonding access. Find your nearest office at pacareerlink.pa.gov.
Pennsylvania DOC Reentry Services provides pre-release employment planning, community corrections, and transitional support. Contact through pa.gov/doc.
Pittsburgh Community Services Inc. (PCSI, pghcsi.org) provides employment support, resume development, interview preparation, pardon application assistance, and employer connections for returning citizens in the Pittsburgh/Allegheny County area. Pardon Hub expungement clinics by appointment.
Community Legal Services (clsphila.org, Philadelphia) provides free legal services including Clean Slate eligibility checks, record sealing guidance, and CHRIA enforcement for low-income Philadelphians.
Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (lasp.org) provides free legal help including Clean Slate guidance.
Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (palawhelp.org) coordinates free legal help statewide, including record-clearing resources.
Pennsylvania Board of Pardons: A Governor's pardon is the primary path to permanent erasure of a conviction from a Pennsylvania record. Contact through pardons.pa.gov.
PA 211 (pa211.org or dial 2-1-1) connects Pennsylvanians with local reentry resources including employment assistance, housing, and legal aid.
The Federal Bonding Program, coordinated through PA CareerLink, provides free fidelity bonding to employers who hire returning citizens.
Frequently asked questions
Can employers in Pennsylvania ask about my criminal record?
Pennsylvania has no statewide ban the box law removing criminal history questions from initial applications -- most private employers can ask upfront. However, CHRIA (18 Pa.C.S.) applies statewide and prohibits employers from considering arrests without conviction, juvenile adjudications, or summary offenses. Employers can only use a conviction against you if it relates to your suitability for that specific job. If denied, the employer must tell you in writing why. Philadelphia requires a conditional offer before any background check, with 10 business days to respond before final denial. Federal FCRA protections apply statewide.
What is Pennsylvania's CHRIA law?
The Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA, 18 Pa.C.S.) is a statewide law that limits what employers can use from your criminal record. It prohibits considering: arrests without conviction, juvenile records, and summary offenses. A conviction can only be considered if it directly affects your suitability for the specific position. If you are denied employment because of your record, the employer must give you written notice of the reason. If a conviction that should not have been considered was used against you, CHRIA gives you the right to challenge that decision. The Public Interest Law Center (pubintlaw.org, Philadelphia) provides free guidance on CHRIA rights.
What is Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law?
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law (original 2019, expanded through Clean Slate 3.0 effective February 12, 2024) automatically seals eligible criminal records without requiring a petition. Summary convictions are sealed automatically after 5 years with no new charges (automated sealing began June 11, 2024). Many misdemeanor convictions are sealed after 7 years with no new misdemeanor or felony for 7 years. Some low-level drug and property-related felony convictions can be sealed after 10 years with no new misdemeanor or felony for 10 years. The backlog of existing eligible records was cleared ahead of schedule in early 2025. Once sealed, records do not appear on most background checks and cannot be used in employment or housing decisions. Community Legal Services (clsphila.org) provides a free eligibility tool.
How do I explain my record in a job interview?
Do not pause. Come in with the answer ready: everybody deserves a second chance, somebody is going to give me one, and they are going to get the best employee they ever had because you are never going back. CHRIA already limits what employers can legally hold against you. Connect your DOC vocational training, educational credentials, or any program completion inside to what this employer needs. Then close by mentioning that your hire qualifies for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. End strong. In Philadelphia, your record cannot even come up until after a conditional offer -- so your qualifications lead the entire process.
What is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit?
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit, or WOTC, is a federal tax credit available to employers who hire workers from qualifying groups, including people recently released from prison. The credit can be significant per qualifying hire based on wages and hours worked in the first year. It is administered through the IRS and the Department of Labor. PA CareerLink offices coordinate certification for employers statewide. It is a real financial incentive, and you should mention it at the end of every interview.
Do employers get a tax credit for hiring ex-felons?
Yes. Under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, employers who hire qualifying returning citizens may receive a meaningful federal tax credit. Bring this up at the end of your interview as a closing argument. Your hire comes with a tax benefit the other applicants cannot offer. Ask your PA CareerLink counselor for documentation you can share with a prospective employer so they can apply for the credit.
What PA programs help people with records find work?
PA CareerLink offices statewide provide job search help, training referrals, WOTC coordination, and Federal Bonding access. PCSI (pghcsi.org, Pittsburgh) provides employment support, pardon applications, and employer connections. Community Legal Services (clsphila.org, Philadelphia) provides free Clean Slate eligibility tools and CHRIA enforcement. Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (lasp.org) provides free legal assistance. PA Legal Aid Network (palawhelp.org) connects to statewide free legal help. PA 211 (pa211.org or 2-1-1) connects to local reentry employment resources. Pennsylvania DOC provides pre-release employment planning.
Can I get my record sealed or expunged in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania Clean Slate 3.0 (effective February 12, 2024) automatically seals many records: summary convictions after 5 years; misdemeanors after 7 years; some drug/property felonies after 10 years -- all with no new convictions during the waiting period and all fines/restitution paid. Sealing hides the record from public view but does not destroy it. For true erasure, a Governor's pardon is the primary path for convictions. Expungements (which destroy records) are available for non-conviction arrests and certain limited conviction types. Community Legal Services (clsphila.org) provides a free Clean Slate eligibility tool. Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (palawhelp.org) provides statewide guidance.
What companies in Pennsylvania hire people with felonies?
Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, and major food service operators have extensive PA operations and fair chance commitments. UPMC, Penn Medicine, and Jefferson Health hire in healthcare support. JPMorgan Chase, Comcast, and major Philadelphia-area employers have fair chance hiring programs. US Steel, ALCOA, and manufacturing employers in western PA hire in production. Natural gas operators in western PA hire in energy support. Construction contractors statewide face persistent labor shortages. PCSI connects returning citizens to employers in Pittsburgh. PA CareerLink provides employer connections statewide. Staffing agencies in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the most accessible first step. For the full national list, see the InmateAid Fair Chance Employer Reference List.
How do I get hired if I have a long gap in my work history?
Name what you did inside and present it as work with context. DOC vocational training, educational programs, work assignments, and program completions are all content. Pennsylvania Clean Slate 3.0 may have already automatically sealed your record -- check your eligibility at clsphila.org. CHRIA prohibits employers from using arrests, juvenile records, or summary offenses against you. In Philadelphia, FCRSS means employers cannot raise your record until after a conditional offer. PCSI in Pittsburgh provides direct employment placement support. PA CareerLink provides job placement and training referrals. Staffing agencies are the fastest path back into regular employment. Build ninety days of solid performance anywhere and that recent record becomes what employers see instead of the gap. ---